Automatic train-pipe connector.



BEST AVAILABLE COP UNITED' siTEs-PATENT OFFICE;

Josnrn v'. ROBINSON, or enAivronnoonnncrion'r,

animee. i

Origniai application inea June 1o, 1912, serial, no. 702,817'.

Specification Patent.

Auroivra'rrc TRAIN-rien v(nur r'acTon Divided and thisapplicaton led llarch 12,

1914,ser'ia1No. 824,295. nen'v'aseptember 13,1917. sei-mino.191,310.vl

To all whom z' may concerni- 'Beit known that I, Josnrn V. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, 'and resident of Branford, county ofNeW Haven, State of Conn., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lrutomaticv Train-` 1 Fig. 2, is a-rear view thereof.

To this end the invention consists 1^ form of connector ,nector Pipe onnectors, which the follov-'ing is va speciication.

" This is' division of my application for nited States Letters Patent Filed June 10,

1912, Serial -Number 702,817, for improvemente in-aifitomatic train pipe connectors,

and. the invention herein describedhas forV itsl Object to yprovide anv improved means' of renewing defective gaskets between the faces of coupled connectors without first sepa-y rating the cars.

In carrying out this object I providea construction by .\\'l1icl1\t]ie ,connector head 'may be shifted into, as Well as ont of, en-

gagement independent of movement of .the supporting base.

combinations, improvements and 'arrangements hereinafter described, pointed out 1n the appended claims, and illustrated `in the- 1 accompanying drawings, -ln which:

l Figure .1 `is a side view of' my improvement showing, and

Referrin tothe drawings: My improve4 ment4 may be used With any satisfactory head A and with any suitable support B vfor suspending theconfrom 'the car. I show a coupling i head of snlisiantially oval youtline viewed lfrom the front and having guiding prongs `5 Vdiag'onally spaced upon its face for alining the head with an opposing head" in couipling ander conditions of disalinem'ent.

' To permit the oscillatory movement of spring into tight engagement recessed'portiong and has alsojan eye engagement with the ear, as shown.

.ketsl Without uncoupling Athe cars.

someof the parts in section,

To lock the saine'in the recessn the coils 'ofthe with .the said' l train to eeot renewal of defective gaskets Y i I The base ot the supporting spring C may be secured to the bracket'B i-n any suitable manner.- For this purpose have shown a vbracket comprising halves 11, each having On'its inner face a semi-circumferential recess '12 1n which the base of the spring rests.

-The halves are secured together about Ythe spring and clampedl to a lug 13 voi -the car. by bolts 14, in coperation with a' hinge connection 15 'which connection comprises a perforated ear 16 on one ,member and a curved finger 17 on the other member for The bracket is provided `with a` lateral opening 18 within. which operates'- my improved means' forv renewing defective gas'- Such means comprises aflaring head 19 of segmental or spherical cross-section having a concave'inner face and provided 'With dia# metrically opposite ears QOadapted to be .v inserted between thebra-cket halves 11and in the 4'ining Vthe head19 against axial shifting;

lugs 21, projectingfrom said halves for consaifd ears '20' beingprovided with projections 22 adapt-ed to entend between therespective Patented Nome, 1 91 i ersl bracket halves 11 and lugs v 21 to constitute stops for locking said head"19\agii 1 1st rotation. A nut 23 anda handl'di are securedtogether as by a pin25, in rotatable engagement with the opposite sides of said head 19, the sliherical contour of the head -19 and the concave conforination of its inner l 'face permitting.universal swing of saidy nut -so A rod 26 is threaded through said nut 23' and provided at its forward' end with suitable means for engaging the connector head. I have' shown for this purpose a hook 27 yon the forward end of the rod 2G-for engaging the eye 10 of the'plug 8. lThis pro-- vides a simple andefficient construction by which the head 19 carrying the nut 23 and handle Q4 can be vreadily inserted in position on the bracket B for withdrawing a. connector head A from coupled engagement against the tension of its supporting spring C. The hook 27 permits the Withdrawn head to be readily turnedto position for. convenient inspection and repair of lits' coupling face and gasket. .i

The parts 19, 23,24: and 25 may be termed a Wrench adapted to be interchangeably used With all the automatic connectors of a without uncoupling the cars as it is a l means so used for that purpose. With such a construction, the head A may also be shifted into engagement, as well as out of engagement. `In forcingthe head into engagement, the ears of 4the head-'19 engage the rearface of the'lugs' 21 on the bracket, when continued rotation'ot` the ,nut y.

` 23 to the left will force the 'connector head forwardly into proper .coupled engagement. By in erting the wrench 24 and drawing up on it until it properly engages the bracket .B, the tension of the supporting 1rlsfpring C ned beof coupled connectors, may be' "co tween the he'ad and bracket B fand the bolts 14 ,removedand 'the connector v.as a' Whole taken o' the car Without'uncouphng the cars. v

Having thus described my invention, lwhat 'I claim as new and desire'to secure b y United States Letters Patent is v 4 l.' In an4 automatic :train 'pipe connector provided with a head,"the combination of a bracket, al spring supporting said head on said bracket, and removable power mechanism adapted to be supported on said bracket' for shifting said Y connector head .against the -tension of said supporting Vso porting said head, and removable yspring in all coupled positions of said-head.

2. In an `automaticl train piV e connector vprovided with a head, the com 'inationof a bracket, a spring ont said bracket4 for sup- I mechanism adapted to be supported 1n engagement; with said ,bracket for shifting j said connector 'head' from and.' into coupled' A engagement with the coperatm'g head or van adjacent'car. in a train independent 'of movement of said bracket.

3. In an automatic 'train'ipipe connector.

.provided with a head, the combination of a bracket, va spring supporting, said head on said bracket', means extending through said i bracket for detachably [engaging a member o n said head, f and removable mechanism adapted to. be supported on said bracket in actuating engagement With Said means for shifting said.l head against the tension of said spring.

1 ,4. In an automatic train pipe connector provided with a head, the combination of a I bracket, a spring connecting Vthe bracket` and head and constituting the sole support for the head, a member connected with the head and lextending through said bracket, and means for engaging said' member toshift said head relative to the bracket.

5. In an automatic Vtrain pipe connector,

the combination of a head,'a 'bracket ingA a yieldable `support 'for' supporting stud head, .a stein extending rearwardly of the head -and 'through saidbracket, and a l Wrench removably mounted Von said stem and bearing'against said bracket for shifting said head independent 'of movement of. the bracket. l i

6. In an automatic trainjpipe connector, the combination of a head, a bracket carry.

ing ,a yieldable support for supporting said head,"a'ste'm extending rearwardly of the head past said bracket, and -a 'wrench vremovably mounted-on said stem and having a threaded portion, said portion' being mounted ina partly spherical concave seat:

for oscillatory movement therewith relative to said bracket.`

7. In an automatic train pipe connector,

the combination of a head, a bracket carryying a spring for supporting saidhead, a

stem extending rearwardly of the head past "said bracket, and means removably mounted on said stem for confining the resistance of said spring between said head and bracket when in the coupled position.

8. The herein described means, 4for use in shifting thehead of an automatic train pipe connector against the tension of a' spring acting to hold said head in coupling position, comprising a rod adapted to be sup'- ported on the hanger or supporting bracket.' for the connectorl and to engage the connec' tor head, and means for moving said rod longitudinally. Y l

9. A device for the purpose described comprising 'means adapted'tobe readily ati tached to or removed from the'hangeror supporting bracket of an automatic train pipe connector and to detachably engage the'heald of the connector, and a crank connectedwith and adapted to positively move said means and head toward the bracket.

l-O. A device for the purpose described comprising a rod having at one end meansy for engaging the head of an automatic train i pipe connector, a support for said rod adapted to be readily attached to or removed from the l supporting lbracket or hanger of the connector, and means engagfmg the rod and adapted to move the same 

